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Artem Smirnov

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Linda’s first psychedelic experience

What Changed After 38 Years Sober: Linda’s First Psychedelic Experience

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  • At 65, after 38 years of sobriety, Linda reflects on her first psychedelic experience and how an intentional psilocybin journey reshaped how she understands herself, her past, and her life. She speaks about releasing long-held anger toward her brother, living without the anxiety she carried for decades, and walking away from her business with a calm she had never known.

    In this story, Linda reflects on:

  • Her first psychedelic experience after 38 years of sobriety, approached with intention and care
  • Releasing anger toward her brother that had quietly shaped her inner life for decades
  • Stepping away from her business with a calm and clarity she had never known
  • How microdosing supports her ongoing integration, improving sleep, deepening her sense of presence in nature, and helping her process daily life with greater clarity and peace

It changed how I see the world. It changed how I see me.

Watch: Psilocybin After 38 Years Sober: Letting Go of Control and Anxiety

https://youtu.be/Ja_jeimdqLA

Watch: Other First-Experiences with Psilocybin Mushrooms

In Linda’s Words

What drew you to your first psychedelic experience after nearly four decades of sobriety?

Linda: I had been reading about how psychedelics were being used therapeutically for trauma and PTSD. At first my recovery mindset told me, “You can’t do this, you’re sober.” But the more I learned, the more curious I became. Eventually I realized this wasn’t about escaping anything. It was about understanding myself and my trauma more deeply.

Was there a moment during the journey that changed how you see your past?

Linda: My brother came up during the journey. We hadn’t spoken for 15 years before he died by suicide, and I carried a lot of anger and resentment toward him and my family. Seeing his life differently gave me compassion and forgiveness I didn’t have before. It opened up space in my life that simply wasn’t there before.

What led you to walk away from your business?

Linda: I had raised that business like a child, and I had taken it as far as I could. It wasn’t aligned with who I was anymore. When I made the decision to walk away, a buyer showed up, and the entire process happened with zero anxiety. I sold my business and stepped out of my entire world without a plan, and for the first time, I felt completely calm about it

I sold my business and walked away from my entire world with zero anxiety.

How does microdosing show up in your day-to-day life?

Linda: I sleep better. I’m less hungry, and I naturally want to eat healthier food. It helps me process what’s going on in my head with more clarity. When I microdose, I take the same short walk each day and notice how present I feel with nature. Everything feels more peaceful.

This story was recorded in collaboration with Mycology Psychology. Linda references her personal experience with microdosing as part of her broader integration process.

Supporting Research

Psilocybin and Depression

 Psilocybin therapy and depression clinical trials
Psilocybin has been studied in multiple randomized and open-label clinical trials showing rapid and sustained reductions in depressive symptoms, including in major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression. These studies often involve one or two dosing sessions with psychological support and report improvements lasting weeks to months. Cambridge University Press

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of psilocybin for depression
Meta-analyses combining multiple clinical trials suggest psilocybin can produce both short-term and longer-term antidepressant effects compared with traditional treatments, with patients reporting meaningful decreases in symptom severity. Pubmed

Psychedelics and Addiction Recovery

Psilocybin in substance use disorders
A 2025 systematic review identified preliminary clinical evidence that psilocybin-assisted therapy may reduce alcohol and tobacco use and related symptoms when combined with psychotherapy, although larger trials are still needed to confirm these findings. Pubmed

  • Classic psychedelics and addiction treatment research
    Reviews of the literature suggest classic psychedelics like psilocybin show potential in supporting addiction recovery processes — for example, reducing heavy drinking days or supporting smoking cessation — though research is still emerging and exploratory. Pubmed

You Are Not Alone

If Linda’s story resonated with you, we invite you to explore more psychedelic experiences or share your own story with Normalize Psychedelics.

Explore other experiences with psilocybin

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About Normalize Psychedelics​

Normalize Psychedelics is a nonprofit working to change public understanding of psychedelic medicine by sharing real stories of healing. Through firsthand accounts, we aim to reduce stigma and broaden the conversation around mental health and wellness.

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Power The Next Story

Erasmo Normalize Psychedelics-min

The Day My Wife Died, I Died Too — Finding Healing Through KAP Therapy for Veterans

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Erasmo is an Army veteran who served two traumatic deployments in Iraq in the 2000s. He and his wife, also in the Army, eventually retired from military service to build a new life together. Both carried the weight of PTSD, but over time they found moments of healing and growth. About ten years ago, Erasmo’s wife was diagnosed with cancer and passed away tragically, leaving him to raise their children while grieving the love of his life.

Last year, Erasmo took part in KAP therapy for veterans, a group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy series that became a turning point in his healing journey. His experience brought immediate relief, clarity, and renewed purpose — and the benefits continue to unfold in his life today.

Thank You Life is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to revolutionize mental healthcare and help the world heal by eliminating the financial barriers to psychedelic therapy. To learn more, visit www.thankyoulife.org.

 

Watch: Erasmos’s Story, Army Veteran

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZa-G8Ytpx8

Watch: Other inspiring stories of transformation from veterans

“After my wife died, I had to re-learn how to live. I had to re-learn how to be a person. If it wasn’t for my kids, I wouldn’t have been able to keep going. I wished I had died instead of her.”
-Erasmo

Read: The Day My Wife Died, I Died Too — Finding Healing Through KAP Therapy for Veterans

Erasmo discusses some of the trauma he experienced during his military service, as well as the struggle of trying to reintegrate back into civilian life with PTSD after retirement. He then shares about the unimaginable heartbreak of watching the love of his life slowly die from cancer, and the impact that her death had on him. Erasmo then begins to describe how he was serendipitously led to be able to participate in this Group KAP series with other veterans, and he goes into detail about what his experiences were like during those treatments and group therapy sessions.

“Being in a group of veterans, we shared an understanding of the struggles of each person. The camaraderie developed with the group of us. That was a big part of the healing. It was a shared experience, a co-creation of a circle of healing.”

What improvements have you experienced in your PTSD symptoms through KAP?

Erasmo: Most of the time us humans are operating from a base level of fear. Mostly all of humans’ actions and ways of interacting are through a veil of fear. The KAP has dramatically improved the symptoms associated with PTSD in my life by helping me to be less fearful of everyday life situations. It has helped me to regain the desire for communal interactions.

How has KAP affected your social life and connections with others?

Erasmo: The KAP also connected me with like-minded individuals who are wanting to heal and live better lives, just as I am. Through this group format, the healing is amplified, and we are able to assist each other in observing emotional pain that needs attention and integration.

What role did financial assistance from Thank You Life play in your ability to access KAP treatment?

The financial assistance from Thank You Life was imperatively necessary for the facilitation of this KAP experience. Without the financial assistance from Thank You Life, I absolutely would not have been able to participate in this beautiful, life changing experience. Thank you, Thank You Life!!

About Normalize Psychedelics​

Normalize Psychedelics is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) working to transform public perception of psychedelic medicine through real stories of healing. Our mission is to collect 1,000 powerful testimonials from individuals whose lives have been transformed by psychedelic experiences. By sharing these authentic voices, we aim to reduce stigma, advance the conversation around mental health, and expand our understanding of wellness.

Your donation will help us amplify these important stories and create lasting change. Every contribution, whether $5 or $500, directly supports our work to document and share these transformative experiences. As a registered 501(c)(3), all donations are tax-deductible. Join us in building a future where psychedelic healing is better understood and accepted

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